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Alternator limbo......how low can you go??? Posted by skibumm100 [Email]  (#3255) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from skibumm100) on Mon, 27 Jan 2014 08:12:59
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I had what I like to call and "adventure" last night. Went to a HS track meet in Portland, ME and when it was time to leave, I started the Aero snd noticed the battery light was on. Hmmm, it was fine on the way up? Just turned over 214K and I would guess my brushes disappeared or the VR took a dump. I had a little charging inteemitantly for a couple minutes and then nothing.I told my wife I wasn't sure we would make it home. I have AAA Plus so they will tow 100 miles but I really didn't want to go through that on a Sunday night so I figured I'd see how far I could get. The car has a good Interstate green top battery and it's pretty strong. It's about an hour and a half drive home, mostly highway. When I got on I-95 I had about 11.8 volts on the dash. I turned off all non-essential electrical do-dads, turned the heater blower off once it was warmed up and watched the gauge as I drove south. It held in there at 11.6 -11.8 volts for quite a while and then started to slowly drop a tenth every 10 minutes or so. By the time I hit the NH line I was down to about 11 volts. Once it got below that it started dropping at an increasing rate. I figured it would drop to a point that something would draw too may amps and a fuse would pop and that would be it. I was betting on the headlight fuse or the fuel pump. Once it got below 10 volts it dropped pretty quick to about 8.6 volts. Still running fine, no ignition skip, no fuel pressure stumble, although the lights were getting noticably dimmer. Once it hit around 7 volts, the ABS light came on first, then the speedo went flakey and went to zero. Once it hit 6.6 volts the tach went to zero and the lights were getting quite dim. The taillight warning lights came on. When I pulled into the driveway, the voltmeter read 6.0 volts and it was running fine. The lights were getting really dark but still on. I was amazed this thing didn't croak. I don't think I could've gone another 5 miles, though. I put the battery charger on it as soon as I got home and it was fully charged this morning. Started right up and it seems like everything is OK. Tach works, ABS light off.
This car is a 97, I have an alternator from my 93 that I can overhaul. Can I use the 93 alt on the 97? Will it bolt right up? I don't know if I can change the VR and brushes with the alt in place on a 97. I know I did on my 90 9KT. I gotta think the commutator is in poor shape.
posted by 63.236.2...
_______________________________________ long-time listener, first-time caller Saab glutton for punishment
, Mon, 27 Jan 2014 08:12:59 <-- Viewing This Message, Sun, 2 Feb 2014 05:39:48, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 07:58:01, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:09:48, Mon, 27 Jan 2014 11:34:53, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 09:34:38
, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:35:04, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:51:15, Wed, 29 Jan 2014 16:05:47, Thu, 30 Jan 2014 05:17:53, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:24:01, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:36:38, Mon, 27 Jan 2014 20:18:53, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:48:45, Wed, 29 Jan 2014 05:22:30, Tue, 28 Jan 2014 05:20:17
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